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Oak Ridge resident Kevin Harvick said Wednesday night his wife is 14 weeks pregnant. Harvick announced DeLana Harvick's pregnancy during a media event at Richard Childress Racing.

"It's going to be great," Harvick said during the NASCAR media tour, according to SceneDaily.com. "I've been so excited; you get a little bit emotional about stuff like that. I'm really excited; DeLana and I are happy to finally let the cat out of the bag, and I am looking forward to the new experiences that it leads to in life."

The couple closed their race team at the end of last season and said they were excited to use all the free time they were about to acquire. But they also weathered persistent rumors they were closing Kevin Harvick Inc. because they were splitting up and selling off the assets to prepare for a divorce. Both repeatedly dismissed the comments.

The Harvicks join a growing baby boom in the NASCAR garage. Matt Kenseth, Carl Edwards, Jeff Gordon, Elliott Sadler, Jimmie Johnson and Jamie McMurray are among the drivers with young children.

BEHIND THE WHEEL: Former Daytona 500 winner Ward Burton signed with Hillman Racing and will drive in next month's season opening Truck Series race at Daytona International Speedway. ... Richard Petty Motorsports formed a Nationwide Series team for Michael Annett. His car will be sponsored by Pilot Flying J and will run for the Nationwide championship. ... Elliott Sadler will be in the Daytona 500 for Richard Childress Racing. Sadler has not raced in the Sprint Cup Series since 2010.

NO RADICAL CHANGES: NASCAR officials said they aren't planning any radical changes for the 2012 season after one of its most exciting seasons ever.

However, they'll look to tweak a few things to improve the sport and are moving forward on measures to reduce two-car tandem racing at Daytona and Talladega.

Speaking at a preseason press conference, NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France said two-car drafting has "evolved into something that no one saw coming, and now we're going to deal with that."

France said fans want to see "a return to that more traditional, more pack racing" and closer side-by-side competition.

France also said the introduction of the wild card and the simplification of the points system last season was a success and the format won't change this year.

OBIT: Joseph Mattioli, the founder and chairman of Pocono Raceway, has died following a lengthy illness, officials announced during a preseason news conference at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte. He was 86.

MILLERCOORS SIGNS EXTENSIONS: MillerCoors signed contract extensions with NASCAR and Penske Racing. The deal extends the sponsorship of Coors Light as the official beer of NASCAR. That program began in 2008 after Coors Light ended its sponsorship of the No. 40 car.

Miller Lite also extended its relationship as primary sponsor of Brad Keselowski's No. 2 car with Penske Racing. Miller Lite has partnered with Penske and the No. 2 car since 1991.